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GAO-08-933R:
United States Government Accountability Office:
Washington, DC 20548:
July 31, 2008:
Congressional Committees:
Subject: TSA's Explosives Detection Canine Program: Status of
Increasing Number of Explosives Detection Canine Teams:
This report formally transmits the attached briefing in response to
section 1307 of the Implementing Recommendations of the 9/11 Commission
Act of 2007. The act requires the Comptroller General to report on the
utilization of explosives detection canine teams to strengthen security
and the capacity of the national explosives detection canine team
program, which is administered by the Transportation Security
Administration.
We are sending copies of this report to the appropriate congressional
committees. We are also sending copies to the Secretary of Homeland
Security. This report will also be available at no charge on our Web
site at [hyperlink, http://www.gao.gov]. Should you or your staff have
any questions concerning this report, please contact me at (202) 512-
3404 or berrickc@gao.gov. Contact points for our Offices of
Congressional Relations and Public Affairs may be found on the last
page of this report. Key contributors to this report were William
Crocker, Assistant Director; Mary Catherine Hult, Assistant Director;
Alana Finley; Lara Kaskie; Thomas Lombardi; and Clarence Tull.
Signed by:
Cathleen A. Berrick:
Director, Homeland Security and Justice Issues:
List of Committees:
The Honorable Christopher J. Dodd:
Chairman:
The Honorable Richard C. Shelby:
Ranking Member:
Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs:
United States Senate:
The Honorable Daniel K. Inouye:
Chairman:
The Honorable Ted Stevens:
Vice Chairman:
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation:
United States Senate:
The Honorable Joseph I. Lieberman:
Chairman:
The Honorable Susan M. Collins:
Ranking Member:
Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs:
United States Senate:
The Honorable Bennie G. Thompson:
Chairman:
The Honorable Peter T. King:
Ranking Member:
Committee on Homeland Security:
House of Representatives:
The Honorable James L. Oberstar:
Chairman:
The Honorable John L. Mica:
Ranking Republican Member Committee on Transportation and
Infrastructure House of Representatives:
[End of section]
Enclosure: Briefing for Congressional Committees:
TSA’s Explosives Detection Canine Program: Status of Increasing Number
of Canine Teams:
Briefing for Congressional Committees:
Contents:
Introduction:
Objective:
Scope and Methodology:
Summary:
Background:
Results:
- TSA’s Plan, Capacity, and Status of Meeting Mandated Increases of
Explosives Detection Canine Teams:
Agency Views:
GAO Contacts:
Appendixes:
[End of section]
Introduction:
Under its National Explosives Detection Canine Team Program (NEDCTP),
the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) procures, trains,
deploys, and certifies explosives detection canine teams—each of which
is a canine paired with a handler—to provide mobile and flexible
deterrence and explosives detection capabilities in furtherance of its
mission to secure all modes of transportation.[Footnote 1]
Section 1307 of the Implementing Recommendations of the 9/11 Commission
Act (9/11 Commission Act) requires the Secretary of Homeland Security
to begin to increase the number of explosives detection canine teams
certified by TSA for transportation-related security by up to 200 teams
annually by the end of 2010.[Footnote 2]
Section 1307 also requires GAO to report on the utilization of
explosives detection canine teams to strengthen security and the
capacity of the national explosives detection canine team program.
Objective:
Our objective was to determine whether TSA has a plan to increase its
number of certified explosives detection canine teams as required by
statute and, if so, to evaluate the extent to which TSA has the
capacity to do so and is on track with its plan.
We are also including information on:
* Department of Homeland Security (DHS) components’ explosives
detection canine programs (app. I) and;
* DHS efforts to establish industrywide training and certification
standards for explosives detection canines (app. II).
Scope and Methodology:
To satisfy our objective, we:
* reviewed federal laws and related materials and analyzed TSA’s canine
program policies and procedures, as well as its goals, plans, and
actions for training, deploying, and certifying additional explosives
detection canine teams;
* observed the training laboratories and the Canine Breeding and
Development Center at NEDCTP’s Canine Training and Evaluation Branch at
Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas; and;
* interviewed TSA canine program officials.
To describe DHS’s explosives detection canine programs and efforts to
establish industrywide standards for explosives detection canines, we
analyzed information and interviewed officials from U.S. Customs and
Border Protection, the U.S. Secret Service, the U.S. Coast Guard, the
U.S. Federal Protective Service, DHS’s Office for Bombing Prevention;
and the Scientific Working Group on Dog and Orthogonal[Footnote 3]
Detector Guidelines.
We conducted this performance audit from November 2007 through July
2008 in accordance with generally accepted government auditing
standards. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit
to obtain sufficient, appropriate evidence to provide a reasonable
basis for our findings and conclusions based on our audit objectives.
We believe that the evidence obtained provides a reasonable basis for
our findings and conclusions based on our audit objectives.
Summary:
TSA Has a Plan and Has Begun to Increase Its Capacity to Train and
Deploy Additional Explosives Detection Canine Teams, and Is on Track
with Its Plan during the First Year of Implementation:
TSA plans to train, deploy, and certify up to 200 canine teams annually
over the next 3 years, consistent with statutory requirements.
* Collectively, the statutes provide TSA with flexibility to determine
the number of additional teams it will deploy within this range to
satisfy the requirements of the mandates.
* For example, TSA’s plan for 2008 meets the minimum increase required
by the U.S. Troop Readiness, Veterans’ Care, Katrina Recovery, and Iraq
Accountability Appropriations Act, 2007 [Footnote 4] (Iraq
Supplemental) (170 teams) and is within the upper limit (200 teams)
range set forth in the 9/11 Commission Act.
* TSA’s plan includes a specific training and deployment schedule for
2008 and 2009, but TSA has not yet determined these specific schedules
for 2010.
TSA has begun to increase its capacity to implement its plan to train,
deploy, and certify additional canine teams, for example, by:
* making arrangements to procure additional canines by contracting with
a private kennel to supplement existing canine sources and;
* adjusting NEDCTP’s training schedule to accommodate additional
classes.
TSA is on track to implement its planned increase in its number of
explosives detection canine teams for calendar year 2008.
* For example, TSA has conducted, or is in the process of conducting,
training classes for 104 canine teams out of 204 planned for 2008.
* In order to successfully increase the number of explosives detection
canine teams by about 200 in 2009, some ongoing issues will need to be
resolved, such as hiring additional instructors to conduct training
classes and certify newly deployed teams.
Background: Congressional Mandates to Increase Explosives Detection
Canine Teams:
The 9/11 Commission Act:
* requires the Secretary of Homeland Security to begin to increase the
number of explosives detection canine teams certified by TSA for
transportation-related security by up to 200 teams annually by the end
of 2010;
* provides options for how to increase the number of canine teams,and;
* authorizes the appropriation of such funds as necessary to carryout
this mandate for fiscal years 2007 through 2011.
The Iraq Supplemental appropriated funds for use by TSA to expand
NEDCTP by no fewer than 170 additional canine teams, including the use
of agency-led teams, to support air cargo security.
Funding:
* Of amounts appropriated to TSA through Division E of the Consolidated
Appropriations Act, 2008 (DHS Appropriations Act, 2008), the
accompanying explanatory statement directs $10 million to remain
available until September 30, 2009, to increase the number of
explosives detection canine teams.[Footnote 5]
* The Iraq Supplemental appropriated $80 million to TSA, to remain
available until September 30, 2009, for air cargo security. Of this,
TSA allocated $20.3 million to its canine programs.
* TSA plans to use $3.5 million in fiscal year 2008 funding to expand
the number of explosives detection canine teams to be used in mass
transit.
Background: NEDCTP: Program Overview:
Established in 1972, NEDCTP’s mission is to deter and detect the
introduction of explosive devices into the transportation system. (See
app. III for more information about NEDCTP’s organization and budget.)
NEDCTP is a partnership between TSA and state or local law enforcement
authorities (LEA) with jurisdiction over airports or mass transit
systems.
* An LEA agrees to participate in the program for 5 years, provide
three officers (each must serve a minimum of 3 years), and maintain TSA-
certified canine teams available for 24-hour incident response.
* TSA provides a canine for each handler, team training, explosives to
use for training, certification, and a partial stipend (about $50,000
per year).
* Teams are to devote 80 percent of their duty time in their
operational environment (e.g., airport) conducting TSA-related
activities.[Footnote 6]
Background: NEDCTP: Uses of Canine Teams:
NEDCTP team responsibilities include:
* searching during bomb threats associated with aircraft, airport
terminals, vehicles, luggage, and cargo;
* patrolling airport or mass transit terminals, including for airports
ticket counters, curbside areas, and secured areas;
* screening air cargo; and;
* serving as general deterrents to would-be terrorists or criminals.
NEDCTP teams also participate in Visible Intermodal Prevention and
Response (VIPR) missions.[Footnote 7]
* From December 2005 through December 2007, TSA conducted about 500
missions.
* According to officials, TSA tries to use canines in all of the VIPR
missions and uses either NEDCTP teams or other local canine teams.
Background: NEDCTP: Deployment of Canine Teams:
According to TSA officials, taking into account LEA voluntary
participation, TSA deploys its canine teams to:
* airports on the basis of passenger and cargo volume and airport size
and;
* mass transit systems on the basis of factors such as a system’s
passenger volume, proximity to critical infrastructure, and threat
information for the mass transit sector.
As of June 9, 2008, about 430 certified explosives detection canine
teams were deployed in aviation and mass transit systems nationwide:
* 370 teams were deployed to 69 airports and;
* 56 teams were deployed to 14 mass transit systems.
Background: NEDCTP Program Growth, 2000 –2007:
Figure 1: NEDCTP Teams Authorized and Number of Participating Airports
and Mass Transit:
This figure is a combination vertical bar graph and table, depicting
the following data:
Year: 2000;
Teams authorized: 180;
Number of airports: 39;
Number of mass transit systems: 1.
Year: 2001;
Teams authorized: 200;
Number of airports: 39;
Number of mass transit systems: 1.
Year: 2002;
Teams authorized: 265;
Number of airports: 64;
Number of mass transit systems: 1.
Year: 2003;
Teams authorized: 300;
Number of airports: 64;
Number of mass transit systems: 1.
Year: 2004;
Teams authorized: 341;
Number of airports: 64;
Number of mass transit systems: 1.
Year: 2005;
Teams authorized: 450;
Number of airports: 75;
Number of mass transit systems: 11.
Year: 2006;
Teams authorized: 478;
Number of airports: 75;
Number of mass transit systems: 13.
Year: 2007;
Teams authorized: 500;
Number of airports: 75;
Number of mass transit systems: 14.
Source: GAO analysis of TSA data.
[End of figure]
Background: NEDCTP: Training and Certification:
It takes about 7 months from the date a canine enters training to a
canine team’s initial certification.
* For about 2 months, canines are pretrained through a series of
repetitive tasks to identify several explosive odors.
* To be deployed, teams must then complete a 2-½-month (10-week)
training course conducted by NEDCTP’s Training and Evaluation Branch at
Lackland Air Force Base, where the teams are trained to detect the
explosive odors in environments including aircraft and mass transit
terminals, luggage, vehicles, cargo, and buildings.
* To be initially certified, after a 2-month acclimation period, teams
must complete a 14-day “training mission” in their operational
environment.[Footnote 8]
Thereafter, teams must pass an annual certification evaluation. All
certifications are conducted by NEDCTP staff.
[End of section]
Results: TSA has a plan to increase the number of certified explosives
detection canine teams:
TSA’s Plan: Is Consistent with Statutory Requirements to Increase
Number of Canine Teams:
TSA plans to train, deploy, and certify up to 200 canine teams annually
by the end of 2010 in accordance with the 9/11 Commission Act.[Footnote
9]
* Of these, TSA plans to train and deploy 170 teams by the end of
calendar year 2008 to support efforts to secure air cargo as required
by the Iraq Supplemental.
* TSA plans to deploy the remaining teams in NEDCTP to aviation and
mass transit systems and for attrition replacement of existing
teams.These teams are scheduled to be trained and deployed primarily in
calendar years 2009 and 2010.
Taking into account currently deployed teams,[Footnote 10] TSA plans to
have:
* 627 teams deployed by the end of fiscal year 2008 and;
* 720 teams deployed by the end of fiscal year 2009.
Consistent with the 9/11 Commission Act, to meet mandated increases in
the number of certified canine teams, TSA plans to procure additional
canines, use its NEDCTP facilities, and increase its staff.
The statutes provide TSA with some flexibility in determining how many
additional teams it will deploy to satisfy the statutory requirements.
* The Iraq Supplemental appropriated funding for no fewer than 170
additional canine teams to support efforts to secure air cargo.
* The 9/11 Commission Act requires an increase of up to 200canine teams
that support transportation-related security annually.
According to officials, TSA interprets meeting the requirements of the
Iraq Supplemental as contributing to its efforts to meet the
requirements of the 9/11 Commission Act. As such, the 170 canine teams
to be procured in accordance with the Iraq Supplemental fall within the
upper limit of 200 teams per year established by the 9/11 Commission
Act.
TSA’s Plan: Includes Establishing Proprietary Canine Program to Support
Air Cargo Screening Efforts in Iraq Supplemental:
Of the 170 teams funded by the Iraq Supplemental, TSA plans to deploy
85 in its Proprietary Canine Program, which was established in January
2008 within the Office of Security Operations (OSO),[Footnote 11] to
support air cargo screening efforts.
* NEDCTP is responsible for training and certifying the Proprietary
Canine Program teams, but the canine teams will have TSA employees as
handlers instead of LEA handlers.
* Teams will be dedicated to searching air cargo, for example cargo
warehouses.
TSA plans to add the other 85 teams to NEDCTP; these teams will have
LEA handlers.
* To increase overall efforts in screening air cargo, TSA requires that
all NEDCTP teams spend 25 percent of their duty cycle actively
screening air cargo. This requirement translates to 60 minutes per duty
cycle.[Footnote 12]
TSA’s Plan: Includes Deploying Additional Explosives Detection Canine
Teams to Aviation and Mass Transit Modes:
TSA plans to fund the procurement, training, and deployment of
additional canine teams through its fiscal year 2008 appropriation, and
TSA plans to deploy them in NEDCTP.
* A total of $10 million has been allocated to support the deployment
of 92 teams.
- As of June 2008, TSA is considering deployment options for these
teams, but officials said that at least 46 will be deployed in NEDCTP.
- Options for the other 46 include deploying in the Proprietary Canine
Program with TSA handlers, in maritime mode, or to support multimodal
efforts.
A total of $3.5 million has been allocated to support 45 NEDCTP mass
transit teams.
[End of section]
Results: TSA has begun to increase its capacity to train and deploy
additional explosives detection canine teams:
Capacity: TSA Has Begun to Increase Its Capacity to Implement Its Plan
to Satisfy Statutory Requirements:
TSA has begun to increase its capacity to implement its plan to train,
deploy, and certify additional explosives detection canine teams, as
required, including:
* making arrangements for procuring additional canines;
* conducting outreach efforts to secure handlers;
* adjusting NEDCTP’s training schedule to accommodate additional
training courses, and;
* authorizing additional staff positions to support planned efforts.
Capacity: TSA Has Made Arrangements for Procuring Additional Canines to
Support Planned Increases:
TSA receives canines from the Department of Defense (DOD) through an
existing interagency support agreement.
* Officials said that they have requested up to 190 canines per year
for 2007 through 2009, which historically has provided enough canines
for108 teams plus attrition.[Footnote 13]
TSA operates a Canine Breeding and Development Center, which since 2002
has provided 36 canines that have been deployed in NEDCTP.
To support planned increases, TSA supplemented its existing supply of
canines by contracting with a private kennel for 200 pretrained canines
for fiscal year 2008.
* TSA selects canines to purchase after conducting performance (such as
evaluating if a canine can detect pretrained odors or is not aggressive
around people) and medical tests.
* There is a contract option for 270 additional canines for fiscal year
2009, bringing the total to 470 canines.
Capacity: TSA Has Taken Steps and Conducted Outreach Efforts to Secure
Canine Handlers:
In November 2007, TSA posted an internal announcement for 85
Transportation Security Inspector-Cargo explosives detection canine
handlers for the Proprietary Canine Program.
* NEDCTP scheduled training for these positions in its 2008 training
schedule.
NEDCTP has made efforts to secure volunteer LEA handlers for 2008 and
2009, according to officials.
* Field canine coordinators[Footnote 14] work with LEAs in their
assigned areas to determine the LEAs’ interest in participating in the
NEDTCP program.
* Once an LEA expresses interest, TSA sends it a formal invitation to
participate in NEDCTP. If the LEA accepts the invitation, it signs an
interagency cooperative agreement with TSA and determines which of its
officers will attend training and be deployed as handlers.
Capacity: TSA Has Adjusted Its Training Schedule to Double Student
Output While Using Existing Facilities:
NEDCTP training facilities can support two classes, of up to 12 student
teams each, conducted simultaneously.
To meet its plan, starting in January 2008 NEDCTP doubled its capacity
for the number of 12-student classes conducted per year from 9 to 18,
which increases the maximum number of teams that can be trained from
108 to 216 annually.
NEDCTP plans to stagger the class start dates and adjust the daily
schedules so that up to four different classes can be in training
during the same time.
The training curriculum and requirements, length of the course, and
number of students per class are not being modified.
Capacity: TSA Has Authorized Staff Positions to Support Planned
Efforts:
To support efforts to increase the number of deployed teams, TSA
authorized 24 additional positions, 16 of which were to support the
Training and Evaluation Branch. These include:
* 14 instructor positions, responsible for conducting training classes
and certifying deployed canine teams, and;
* 2 support positions that include one management and program analyst
and one administrative assistant.
These additional positions increase the branch’s authorized staff to 54
full-time equivalents. Officials said that this increase was based in
part on a 2006 study of NEDCTP’s human capital needs,[Footnote 15] and
once the positions are filled, TSA will be able to assess future needs
to support the increased number of teams.
According to officials,NEDCTP has focused on filling instructor
positions because of their dual role in conducting training and
certifying deployed teams.
Four of the newly authorized positions are for additional field canine
coordinators to increase oversight capacity of deployed teams.[Footnote
16]
[End of section]
Results: TSA is on track with its plan during the first year of
implementation:
Implementation: TSA Is On Track in 2008 Implementation, but Some Issues
Need to Be Resolved for Future Years’ Implementation:
Thus far, TSA has generally obtained canines to meet its needs for 2008
despite early issues with purchasing canines from the private kennel.
To deploy the 170 additional canine teams required by the Iraq
Supplemental, TSA has secured canine handlers and scheduled them for
training in 2008. TSA efforts to secure volunteer LEA handlers for 2009
are ongoing.
TSA is on track with its training schedule: Half of the planned 2008
training classes are completed or are in process, with 104 teams
deployed or in training.
TSA is in the process of filling instructor positions to support
training and deployment, but the focus on training additional canine
teams and the remaining vacancies could affect annual certifications.
Additionally, TSA has identified the need for additional oversight and
training support for deployed teams.
Implementation: Thus Far, TSA Has Generally Obtained Additional Canines
for 2008 Despite Early Issues with Purchasing Pretrained Canines:
Thus far, TSA has generally obtained the number of canines it needs to
conduct its training classes in 2008. Nine training classes have been
conducted or are in process, and TSA has made arrangements to obtain
canines for the remaining eight classes in 2008.
* TSA has received 55 canines from DOD.
* TSA has received six of the nine scheduled fiscal year 2008
deliveries from the private kennel, but purchased 64 canines out of
126canines delivered. (See table 1.)
TSA canceled one training class in February because of the lack of
pretrained canines. However, TSA officials stated that the kennel did
not receive the explosive odors from TSA to allow enough time to
pretrain the first two shipments of canines.
TSA officials said that despite initial growing pains there has been an
even progression in the quality of the dogs from the private kennel.
TSA trainers are still pretraining the canines for about 30 days before
they enter classes. However, officials said that they are satisfied
with the canines that they have purchased and that they will likely
continue buying canines from the kennel.
Table 1: Number of Canines Purchased through Contract with Private
Kennel through June 2008:
Delivery date: December 24, 2007;
Number of canines stipulated in contract: 14;
Number of canines delivered for selection: 16;
Number of canines selected/purchased: 6.
Delivery date: January 18, 2008;
Number of canines stipulated in contract: 14;
Number of canines delivered for selection: 20;
Number of canines selected/purchased: 9.
Delivery date: March 3, 2008;
Number of canines stipulated in contract: 14;
Number of canines delivered for selection: 20;
Number of canines selected/purchased: 14.
Delivery date: April 7, 2008;
Number of canines stipulated in contract: 18;
Number of canines delivered for selection: 16;
Number of canines selected/purchased: 10.
Delivery date: May 12, 2008;
Number of canines stipulated in contract: 28;
Number of canines delivered for selection: 27;
Number of canines selected/purchased: 15.
Delivery date: June 16, 2008;
Number of canines stipulated in contract: 28;
Number of canines delivered for selection: 27;
Number of canines selected/purchased: 10[A].
Delivery date: Total;
Number of canines stipulated in contract: 116;
Number of canines delivered for selection: 126;
Number of canines selected/purchased: 64.
Source: GAO analysis of TSA data.
Note: The kennel is to provide additional canines to let TSA select the
best qualified canines after reviewing performance and medical tests.
For example, although only 12 canines are needed for a training class,
the contract states that the kennel provide 14 canines, which allows
TSA the option of purchasing the best qualified 12 of the 14.
[A] According to officials, vehicle difficulties that occurred in
supplying this delivery resulted in canines being exposed to heat
conditions that affected their suitability for NEDCTP. As a result,
they purchased fewer canines than expected.
[End of table]
Implementation: Canine Handlers Have Been Secured and Scheduled for
Training in 2008; Efforts to Secure Volunteer Handlers for 2009 Are
Ongoing:
To deploy 170 additional canine teams as required by the Iraq
Supplemental, TSA has hired 85 Transportation Security Inspector-Cargo
explosives detection canine handlers that are to be deployed with
canine partners in the Proprietary Canine Program and has identified
LEAs to fill the additional 85 positions in NEDCTP. These handlers are
scheduled to complete training and be deployed by December 2008.
TSA has extended 12 invitations thus far to LEAs for participation in
NEDCTP in 2009, and officials said that they expect about 10 of these
LEAs to accept the invitation. However, TSA will likely need to extend
additional invitations to meet planned needs.
According to TSA officials, recruiting LEAs to participate in NEDCTP
has not historically been a problem. However, with the expansion of the
program, TSA officials identified a potential need for incentives to
encourage more LEAs to participate.
Implementation: Half of the Total 2008 Planned Training Classes Are
Completed or in Process:
NEDCTP has conducted, or is in the process of conducting, 9 of the 17
planned classes for calendar year 2008. (See table 2.)
* In these nine classes, 104 out of 108 (planned) canine teams have
been trained and deployed or are in training.
* Of the 24 graduating teams from the two January training classes, 9
teams have been certified, 12 have been or need to be scheduled for 14-
day training missions, and TSA plans to reschedule 3 for another 14-day
training mission.
TSA plans to conduct 15 training classes in 2009.
* NEDCTP’s planned training schedule for 2009 is similar to the
training schedule for 2008; for example, NEDCTP plans to conduct two
classes simultaneously with staggered start dates that are similar to
those dates in 2008.
* TSA has allocated training spots for teams in specific modes of
transportation.
* TSA has not yet determined a training schedule for 2010.
Table 2: Number of Teams Planned for and Trained/in Training under
NEDCTP’s Doubled Capacity Training Schedule, 2008:
Class dates (number of classes): January 7 - March 14 (2);
Proprietary, Plan: 12;
Proprietary, Actual: 12;
NEDCTP, Plan: 12;
NEDCTP, Actual: 12;
Total students, Plan: 24;
Total students, Actual: 24.
Class dates (number of classes): February 4 - April 11 (1);
Proprietary, Plan: 6;
Proprietary, Actual: 6;
NEDCTP, Plan: 6;
NEDCTP, Actual: 4;
Total students, Plan: 12;
Total students, Actual: 10.
Class dates (number of classes): March 17 - May 23 (2);
Proprietary, Plan: 12;
Proprietary, Actual: 11;
NEDCTP, Plan: 12;
NEDCTP, Actual: 12;
Total students, Plan: 24;
Total students, Actual: 23.
Class dates (number of classes): April 21 - June 27 (2);
Proprietary, Plan: 12;
Proprietary, Actual: 11;
NEDCTP, Plan: 12;
NEDCTP, Actual: 12;
Total students, Plan: 24;
Total students, Actual: 23.
Class dates (number of classes): May 27 - August 1[A] 92);
Proprietary, Plan: 12;
Proprietary, Actual: 12;
NEDCTP, Plan: 12;
NEDCTP, Actual: 12;
Total students, Plan: 24;
Total students, Actual: 24.
Total teams:
Proprietary, Plan: 54;
Proprietary, Actual: 52;
NEDCTP, Plan: 54;
NEDCTP, Actual: 52;
Total students, Plan: 108;
Total students, Actual: 104.
Source: GAO analysis of TSA data.
Note: TSA’s plan for 2008 includes 17 training classes, each with 12
teams, for a total of 204 planned teams.
[A] This training course is ongoing; the table indicates the actual
number of teams that enrolled in the course.
[End of table]
Implementation: Hiring Instructors to Support Training and Deployment
Is Ongoing, but Training Focus and Remaining Vacancies Could Affect
Certifications:
NEDCTP is in the process of hiring additional instructors to support
training and deployments. Of 44 authorized instructor positions, 35 are
filled or pending and 9 are vacant.
While they are making progress filling these positions, officials said
that these instructors needed to be on board earlier in the year
because of their dual purpose of training and certifying. Given that
training additional teams to support statutorily required increases was
their priority for 2008, officials said that they are not on pace to
simultaneously complete the planned training and certifications of
deployed teams by the end of the year.
* NEDCTP has completed, or has scheduled for June 2008, 100 of the 398
certifications for deployed teams that are to be completed this year.
* Officials said that they need to devise a plan to address training
and certification needs but currently do not have the resources to
complete both.
Implementation: TSA Has Identified Need for Additional Oversight and
Training Support for Deployed Teams:
Despite filling three of the four newly authorized field canine
coordinator vacancies, officials said that NEDCTP may also need
additional field positions to provide oversight and sustain operations
for additional teams. The 2006 TSA human capital study identified the
need for additional resources to ensure quality and consistency of
canine handlers concomitant with program growth.
In implementing its plan to train and deploy canine teams, TSA
officials identified the potential need for on-site training support at
some locations with Proprietary Canine Program teams. Options include
providing incentives for NEDCTP LEAs to provide on-site training to
Proprietary Canine Program teams or authorizing new positions for
instructors to visit locations in need of additional training.
[End of section]
Agency Views:
We provided a draft of the briefing slides to TSA for review and
comment, and TSA provided technical comments, which we incorporated as
appropriate.
We also provided a draft of the applicable sections of appendix I,
which contains information on the DHS components that employ explosives
detection canine teams, to the U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Customs and
Border Protection, the U.S. Federal Protective Service, the U.S. Secret
Service, and DHS’s Office for Bombing Prevention. We also provided a
draft of appendix II, which contains information about DHS’s
contributions to developing explosives detection canine standards, to
U.S. Customs and Border Protection and DHS’s Office of Bombing
Prevention. Each of these components provided technical comments, which
we incorporated as appropriate.
GAO Contacts:
Should you or your staff have any questions on the matters discussed in
this briefing, please contact Cathleen Berrick at (202) 512-3404 or
berrickc@gao.gov.
[End of section]
Appendixes:
Appendix I: Overview of DHS’s Explosives Detection Canine Programs:
* U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP): Office of Field Operations
Canine Enforcement Program;
* U.S. Coast Guard: Canine Substance Detection Program;
* U.S. Secret Service: Special Operations Division Canine Explosives
Detection Unit;
* Federal Protective Service (FPS): Explosive Detection Dog Program.
Appendix II: DHS Efforts to Establish Industrywide Standards for
Explosives Detection Canines:
Appendix III: Information about TSA’s NEDCTP Organization and Budget:
[End of section]
Appendix I:
CBP: Office of Field Operations Canine Enforcement Program:
Establishment and Mission:
* The U.S. Customs Service established a narcotics detection canine
program in 1970, and the U.S. Border Patrol established a canine
program in 1986.
* The program’s initial explosives detection canine teams were trained
in 2002.
* The program’s mission is to prevent terrorists and their weapons from
entering the United States and to assist other law enforcement
agencies.
Number of Teams and Deployment:
* CBP’s Office of Field Operations has several dozen explosives
detection canine teams that are deployed to numerous ports of entry
throughout the United States.[Footnote 17]
Uses of Teams:
* Together, CBP’s Office of Field Operations and Office of Border
Patrol programs have over 1,200 canines trained in various
disciplines–explosives, narcotics, concealed humans, and currency
detection and search and rescue.
* Explosives detection teams screen for explosives on tractors,
trailers, rail, ferries, and passenger cruise ships; at airports on
aircraft and in air cargo; on passengers; and in luggage and occupied
buildings.
Training and Certification:
* Canine handlers have been CBP officers for a minimum of 3 years.
* CBP uses internally developed standards to train explosives detection
teams at CBP’s canine training center in Front Royal, Virginia.
* CBP also trains and certifies U.S. Coast Guard teams.
* Teams undergo certification evaluations every 6 months.
Sources of Canines[Footnote 18]:
* CBP has a breeding program on-site at its training center.
* CBP also procures canines from private vendors for its program and
for the U.S. Coast Guard.
U.S. Coast Guard: Canine Substance Detection Program:
Establishment and Mission:
* The first U.S. Coast Guard canine explosive detection teams were
fielded in 2003, as part of the implementation of the Maritime
Transportation Security Act of 2002,[Footnote 19] to detect explosive
substances in support of homeland security and law enforcement.
Number of Teams and Deployment:
* The U.S. Coast Guard’s explosives detection canine teams [Footnote
20] are deployed to several ports around the nation as part of Maritime
Safety and Security Teams and the Maritime Security Response Team.
Uses of Teams:
* Teams conduct searches at port facilities and on board vessels
entering port.
* Teams participate in interagency partnerships, provide assistance to
state and local law enforcement agencies, and provide immediate
response to interagency needs through Adaptive Force Packages
(combinations of discrete operational capabilities designed to meet
discrete mission requirements).
U.S. Secret Service: Special Operations Division,Canine Explosives
Detection Unit:
Establishment and Mission:
* The U.S. Secret Service established a canine unit in 1976 to provide
a safe and secure environment for individuals and locations protected
by the U.S. Secret Service.
Deployment:
* Its explosives detection canine teams[Footnote 21] are based in
Washington, D.C., and are deployed to other locations as needed.
Uses of Teams:
* Teams are responsible for providing explosives detection services for
the White House Complex, Vice President’s Residence, and Foreign
Missions Branch. Additionally, as needed, teams provide these services
worldwide in support of the U.S. Secret Service protective mission.
Training and Certification:
* The U.S. Secret Service personnel train canine teams at the agency’s
training facility in Maryland using internally developed training
standards.
Sources of Canines:
* The U.S. Secret Service procures its canines from a private kennel.
FPS: Explosive Detection Dog Program:
Establishment and Mission:
* FPS established its canine program in 2003 to provide an explosive
detection capability in the protection of life and property and a
strong visible and psychological deterrence against criminal and
terrorist acts.
Number of Teams and Deployment:
* Over 50 canine teams[Footnote 22] are deployed nationwide with teams
in each FPS region.
Uses of Teams:
* Teams are responsible for conducting routine explosive searches of
office areas, vehicles, materials, packages, and persons housed in
federally owned or leased facilities, and responding to bomb threats
and unattended packages.
Training and Source of Canines:
* FPS canines have previously been procured through and teams trained
in partnership with a public university’s canine training center, but
the training contract has expired and FPS is examining options for
future training providers.
[End of appendix]
Appendix II:
Canine Standards: DHS Has Contributed to Progress in Developing
Guidelines for Explosives Detection Canines:
Although DHS explosives detection canine teams are generally trained
and certified by DHS component agencies, DHS has contributed to
industrywide efforts to develop explosives detection canine guidelines
through the Scientific Working Group on Dog and Orthogonal Detector
Guidelines (SWGDOG).
* In 2003, SWGDOG was established to address the performance and
reliability of canines used for various detection disciplines (e.g.,
explosives, narcotics).
* The group has 55 members, including international,federal, state, and
local law enforcement agencies; academic entities; and private sector
stakeholders.
In August 2007, SWGDOG’s membership approved guidelines for explosives
detection canines. These guidelines were publicly vetted and include
best practices for training and certification, such as explosive
substances to use in training and certification.
DHS has contributed funding for SWGDOG, and DHS representatives
contributed to developing the guidelines as members of an explosives
detection canine subcommittee. ADHS representative is chair of the
subcommittee.
Canine Standards: While DHS Agencies’ Standards Meet the Guidelines,
Standardized Terminology from Guidelines May Be Incorporated:
According to TSA and CBP officials, these agencies’ training and
certification standards meet or exceed SWGDOG’s guidelines, and the
agencies do not plan to make substantive changes to their standards as
a result of SWGDOG’s guidelines.
Some DHS agencies may choose to adjust their standards to incorporate
the standardized terminology in SWGDOG’s guidelines, according to the
Senior Advisor for National Canine Policy and Standards at DHS’s Office
for Bombing Prevention.
Canine Standards: Some Efforts Are Under Way to Incorporate Newly
Developed Guidelines:
DHS’s Office for Bombing Prevention is planning to use SWGDOG’s
guidelines as a baseline for developing canine training curriculum and
standards consistent with Homeland Security Presidential Directive 19,
according to the office’s Senior Advisor for National Canine Policy and
Standards.
Participants of TSA’s Transit Security Grant Program and DHS’s Homeland
Security Grant Program are required to maintain data to document
compliance with SWGDOG’s guidelines for their explosives detection
canine teams.
[End of appendix]
Appendix III:
TSA NEDCTP: Organization Structure:
[See PDF for image]
Illustration of organizational tree, as follows:
Top level:
* Chief.
Second level:
* Deputy Chief.
Third level:
* Chief Canine Operations Branch, TSA Headquarters, Arlington, VA;
- Area Canine Coordinators;
- Field Canine Coordinators;
- Cargo, Mass transit coordinators.
* Canine Training and Evaluation Branch, Lackland Air Force Base, San
Antonio, TX;
- Instructor Supervisor;
- Training Manager;
- Trainer Supervisors;
- Canine Breeding and Development Center.
* Canine Explosives Branch, Atlantic City, NJ.
Source: GO analysis of TSA data.
[End of figure]
TSA NEDCTP Budget Information:
NEDCTP receives funding through three different TSA accounts: aviation,
surface/rail, and air cargo. According to TSA, its fiscal year 2008
canine budget was about $69 million.
* Aviation teams: $36.3 million;
* Surface/rail (mass transit) teams: $5.5 million;
* Air cargo inspection program: $7.0 million;
* Iraq Supplemental: $20.3 million.
For fiscal year 2009, TSA requested the consolidation of these canine
programs into one account. Officials said that consolidating the
accounts would help TSA to deploy teams to multiple transportation
modes and not restrict the number of teams capable of being deployed to
a particular mode on the basis of funding.
[End of appendix]
[End of enclosure]
Footnotes:
[1] TSA trains its explosives detection canine teams to detect
explosives but not radiological materials or chemical, nuclear, or
biological weapons.
[2] Pub. L. No. 110-53, § 1307, 121 Stat. 266, 395-97 (2007)
(authorizing appropriations of such sums as may be necessary to carry
out section 1307 for fiscal years 2007 through 2011).
[3] Orthogonal refers to independent detection methods, such as canines
and electronic sensors.
[4] Pub. L. No. 110-28, 121 Stat. 112, 140-41 (2007).
[5] Explanatory Statement accompanying Pub. L. No. 110-161, Div. E, 121
Stat. 1844, 2042 (2007), at 1046-47.
[6] Teams can be used to support local needs (e.g., responding to bomb
threats at other locations) during the other 20 percent of the time.
[7] VIPR missions are targeted deployments of integrated TSA and other
federal, state, or local assets to secure any mode of transportation.
VIPR missions can occur in a variety of venues.
[8] All handlers must attend the 10-week training. LEAs may obtain
trained canines outside of TSA (about 4 percent have non-TSA procured
and trained canines), but these teams must pass TSA’s annual
certification evaluation.
[9] TSA considers a team to be deployed after it graduates from the 10-
week training course and returns to its airport/mass transit system.
Certification occurs about 2-½ months after.
[10] These totals assume that TSA will train and deploy replacements
for attrition teams.
[11] According to TSA officials, on June 3, 2008, they approved the
consolidation of OSO Proprietary Canine Program teams under NEDCTP in
the Office of Law Enforcement/Federal Air Marshal Service.
[12] According to TSA officials, a handler’s duty cycle is typically an
8-hour workday, of which canines spend up to 4 hours actively
screening.
[13] These canines are not pretrained to detect odors; TSA trainers
pretrain the canines.
[14] Field canine coordinators are NEDCTP personnel responsible for,
among other things, coordinating with LEAs, overseeing deployed canine
teams, and monitoring explosives provided to LEAs for training
purposes.
[15] TSA’s Office of Human Capital study of NEDCTP conducted in 2006
occurred prior to the enactment of 9/11 Commission Act, and therefore
did not take into account resources needed to accommodate and sustain
the mandated increase.
[16] The remaining positions are an explosives specialist at NEDCTP’s
Explosives Branch and three management and program analysts at TSA
headquarters to support canine air cargo operations.
[17] CBP considers the number and deployment locations of its
explosives detection canine teams to be sensitive information.
[18] The DHS Inspector General released a report on CBP’s canine
program procurement in April 2008.
[19] See Pub. L. No. 107-295, 116 Stat. 2064 (2002).
[20] U.S. Coast Guard considers the number and deployment locations of
its explosives detection canine teams to be sensitive information.
[21] U.S. Secret Service considers the number of explosives detection
canine teams to be sensitive information.
[22] FPS considers the number and deployment locations of its
explosives detection canine teams to be sensitive information.
[End of section]
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